South Carolina’s spring football game shifts dates because of weather concerns
South Carolina’s spring game is moving.
Due to inclement weather forecast for the Columbia area, the university announced Thursday that the annual Garnet and Black game will be shifted from Saturday to Sunday at 2 p.m.
The second and third games of South Carolina’s baseball series with Arkansas will also shift to a Friday doubleheader with start times of 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“With the weather forecast looking rough for Saturday, we thought a spring game on Sunday with dry, clear weather would give our fans a better game day experience,” head football coach Shane Beamer said in a news release. “Our players and coaches look forward to seeing a great crowd Sunday in Williams-Brice Stadium.”
Rain showers are expected Saturday with a 90% chance of precipitation, while thunderstorms are also potentially in the forecast around 2 p.m.
“Saturday rain, we’re kind of expecting to get going in the morning and then pretty much continue through most of the day,” Matt Gropp, a Columbia-based meteorologist for the National Weather Service, told The State on Wednesday. “Unfortunately it looks like a pretty big rainmaker for most of the day Saturday.”
Beamer joked with reporters Tuesday his wife had been sending him updated weather reports for the weekend nearly every 90 minutes, but that his staff had hoped to keep the game at its originally scheduled time.
Instead, the Gamecocks will now take the field Sunday, though what the roster actually looks like remains to be seen. Beamer said Tuesday the team is dealing with a slew of injuries and that numbers were short.
During the portion of Tuesday’s practice open to reporters running back MarShawn Lloyd, offensive tackle Jakai Moore, corner Joey Hunter, running back Bruce Staley, wide receiver OrTre Smith, Randrecous Davis, fullback Bradley Dunn and linebackers Damani Staley and Spencer Eason-Riddle were all gathered with South Carolina’s group of injured players.
“Obviously from a health standpoint we’ve got to see where we are,” Beamer said at the time. “There were some positions today that it would be very tough if things stay the way they are right now on Tuesday for us to be able to have a game if we don’t get some guys back at certain positions.”
Kevin Harris, South Carolina’s leading returning rusher, was also held out of practice Tuesday as a precaution according to Beamer. Harris notched 15 touchdowns and over 1,100 yards a season ago. He is expected to play Sunday.
“He scrimmaged Saturday, he practiced (Monday),” Beamer said of Harris. “He’s got a couple little things that were bugging him that we held him out of practice (for) today, but I anticipate him being able to do some things on Saturday for sure.”
Fans looking for a refund on previously purchased spring football game tickets can contact the Gamecock Athletics Ticket Office.
South Carolina spring football game
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia (15,000 capacity)
Watch: Streaming on SEC Network Plus
South Carolina baseball vs Arkansas, Games 2 and 3
When: 2 and 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park in Columbia (3,350 capacity)
Watch: Streaming on SEC Network Plus
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 1:35 PM.
